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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Israel “Disappointed” Over Argentina-Iran Truth Panel

The government of is real is none too pleased at Argentine lawmakers who approved the creation of a truth commission with Iran to investigate the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Buenos Aires Jewish community center.

"Past experience shows that agreements with Iran don't change Tehran's positions and are not followed,” read a statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. “The same holds for the current agreement, which will not lead to bringing those responsible for the bombing to trial. We are disappointed with the decision," said the communiqué.

Argentine and Israeli officials have criticized each other over Argentina’s deal with Iran that was announced by Argentine President Cristina Kirchner on January 27th.

Representatives of Jewish groups in and outside of Argentina were also upset at the Argentine Congress including the slim majority of Chamber of Deputies members who on Thursday accepted the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran.

“The idea of establishing a 'truth' commission on the AMIA tragedy that involves the Iranian regime would be like asking Nazi Germany to help establish the facts of Kristallnacht,” declared American Jewish Committee Executive Director David Harris.

"This is a memorandum that is not clear, that is not complete and that we feel doesn't bring any benefit to the cause,” said Julio Schlosser, president of the Jewish umbrella organization DAIA, before the vote took place.

The president of the AMIA Jewish Community Center, Guillermo Borger, threatened that he “will make a presentation to the Argentine Supreme Court seeking invalidation of the agreement.” (Argentina is home to Latin America's largest Jewish community.)

The Kirchner administration believe that the panel will help Argentine courts question eight Iranians suspected of masterminding and carrying out the attack that killed 85 people and wounded 300. The Iranian government has denied involvement in the bombing and there is a possibility that country’s parliament may reject the MOU:

After Argentina's Congress passed into law the Memorandum of Understanding to probe the investigation over the 1994 AMIA bombing, the government of Iran considered the accusations against its officials “ridiculous” and warned the parliamentary debate in Tehran could be held up.

According to the legal expert of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Mosher Dahaban, the Middle East country “ignores” who are responsible for the 1994 attack…

The Parliament of Iran –where support to president Mahmud Ahmadinejad has crumbled since the 2012 legislative elections- has began to analyze the agreement signed with Argentina although Iranian lawmakers are currently focused on discussions over the 2013 budget.

Among the officials sought by Argentina is current Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi who was believed to have helped plan the attack that was then carried out with by Hezbollah militants.